Proposed Decision:
Cabinet Member for Integrated Children’s Services to:
APPROVE, subject to review and assessment of any terms and conditions associated with the funding), the acceptance of the Year 4 Family Hub grant award; and the deployment of the grant funding in accordance with the grant conditions and the adopted service model..
Reason for the Decision:
Within the Autumn Budget the Chancellor of the Exchequer announced a further year of funding for existing Family Hub authorities. A series of Key Decisions by the Cabinet Member for Integrated Children’s Services accepted the original transformation grant funding for FAMILY Hubs and adopted our new Family Hub service model.
The existing Key Decisions do not extend beyond the initial transformation period which end on 31 Mach 2025. Therefore, a new Key Decision is required to accept the additional year of grant funding and to utilise that funding in line with the service model adopted under the Family Hub Model Key Decision.
Background
In October 2022 the Cabinet Member for Integrated Children’s Services took decision 22/00094 and Kent County Council (KCC) signed the Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) with the Department for Education (DfE) which accepted the initial 3-year transformation grant funding. This decision set out the requirement for the development of detailed proposals, public consultation and appropriate governance ahead of a further Key Decision on the Family Hub model.
In November 2023, after the development of detailed proposals, public consultation and appropriate governance, KCC Cabinet took decision 23/00092 to implement the Family Hub model across the county.
Options (other options considered but discarded)
The option to not take accept the grant money has been considered. If the announcement related to the specific amount of money to be allocated to each Local Authority and the conditions on how the grant is to be used is made in quarter 4 of financial year 2024/25 (i.e. in February 2025) it will likely impact on the Local Authority’s ability to mobilise resources to implement additional service requirements or procure services. This in turn, will pose a risk to the delivery of services and cause a reputational risk for Kent County Council.
While understanding the risks associated with a late announcement we have discounted the option of not accepting the additional funding in recognition that children, families and communities in Kent will benefit from additional support.
Final determination of whether the funding can and should be accepted would be dependent on the terms and conditions associated with the funding – these will be reviewed at the point of decision.
Decision type: Key
Decision status: For Determination
Notice of proposed decision first published: 24/12/2024
Decision due: Not before 22nd Jan 2025 by Cabinet Member for Integrated Children's Services
Reason: To allow 28 day notice period required under Executive Decision regulations
Lead director: Ingrid Crisan
Department: Education & Young People's Services
Contact: Dan Bride, Assistant Director, Adolescents and Open Access Email: dan.bride@kent.gov.uk Email: dan.bride@kent.gov.uk.
Consultees
The proposed decision will be considered by the Children’s, Young people and Education cabinet Committee on 16th January 2024
Financial implications: Financial Implications: The details of Year 4 money to be awarded to Kent County Council is currently unknown. However, the DfE is expected to include delivery requirements and conditions alongside the grant funding, in line with the prior Family Hub funding approach. If accepted, the funding will be used to ensure the sustainable and consistent delivery of the adopted Family Hub model across Kent. It is not expected to impact the pressure on existing revenue or capital budgets.
Legal implications: KCC has a statutory duty to provide, so far as is reasonably practicable, sufficient provision of children’s centres (now known as Family Hubs) to meet local need. KCC will continue to fulfil its duty to provide sufficient children’s centres to meet need across Kent.
Equalities implications: Equalities implications An Equality Impact Assessment (EqIA) will accompany the eventual decision although at this stage there are no anticipated adverse impacts that are associated with the acceptance of the year 4 grant money. Data Protection implications A Data Protection Impact Assessment (DPIA) is not expected to be required for the acceptance of the year 4 grant money, however the relevant screening assessment will be undertaken prior to decision.